Storyteller, Quizzer, Marcom Pro.
Storyteller, Quizzer, Marcom Pro.
Yesterday, a visit to a sweet shop during Deepavali set me thinking about one particular sweet. Among the many varieties on display, motichoor laddu seemed to attract an unusual number of customers. Curious about its popularity, I decided to explore…
Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of India’s most widely celebrated festivals. Derived from the Sanskrit words dīpa (lamp) and āvalī (row), Deepavali literally means “a row of lamps.” Celebrated on Amavasya (the new-moon day) of the Hindu lunar…
Stealing a ceiling fan from an Indian Railways coach is hardly worth the effort, thanks to a clever anti-theft measure built into its design. Indian Railways has adopted an ingenious approach to discourage fan theft: the fans installed in non-air-conditioned…
It looks harmless, even attractive, with its delicate green leaves and clusters of tiny white flowers. But beneath its innocent appearance lies one of India’s most troublesome invasive weeds: Congress grass, scientifically known as Parthenium hysterophorus. Popularly called Vayyari Bhama…
I wanted to get a first-hand experience of the work that many of us depend on every single day but rarely acknowledge. The kind of work we casually label as “menial,” while enjoying its convenience without a second thought. So…
October 2 is remembered for Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. It is also the birth anniversary of another remarkable Indian whose life reflected many of Gandhi’s ideals: Lal Bahadur Shastri, born on October 2, 1904, in Mughalsarai (now Deen Dayal Upadhyaya…
Step into Cave 1 of Ajanta in Maharashtra, and you will find one of India’s most celebrated paintings: the serene figure of a Bodhisattva holding a lotus. Commonly known as Padmapani, meaning “lotus-bearer” or “one who holds the lotus,” the…
Walk through the older parts of Hyderabad, and you may hear the flutter of wings before you notice the pigeons. They gather around mosques, dargahs, parks, bridges and old neighborhoods, sometimes in astonishing numbers. Dedicated kabutar khanas, or pigeon houses,…
Among the many offerings made to Lord Ganesha, durva grass holds a special place. Its association comes from the story of Analasura, an asura whose name is derived from anala, a Sanskrit word associated with fire. According to traditions found…